Judge rules statements OK in infant murder case

This file photo shows Rishi Abraham Ramgoolie, accused of killing his infant cousin in 2008, appearing for a hearing scheduled for several motions Thursday afternoon, November 8, 2012 in Judge Edward Scott's courtroom.

Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner

By Vishal PersaudStaff writer

Published: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 3:57 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 at 3:57 p.m.

A judge ruled Wednesday that a man accused of killing his 5 ½-month-old cousin in early 2008 cannot prevent prosecutors from using statements he made during an interrogation by authorities.

Rishi A. Ramgoolie, 27, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his infant cousin, Sanjana Muthra. He has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.

An autopsy report indicated that the child eventually died of multiple fractures to her skull as a result of blunt force trauma.

On Wednesday, Ramgoolie's defense team argued that statements he made during two interrogations with authorities on Jan. 21 and 23, 2008 were coerced and should therefore be suppressed at trial.

One of his defense attorneys, Donna Kuchler, argued that the Marion County Sheriff's detective interrogating Ramgoolie in both interviews, Michael Mongeluzzo, was at times aggressive and used tactics that coerced Ramgoolie to reveal what happened to cause the infant's death.

“There was a tremendous amount of aggressive behavior and it was done throughout the interview process,” Kuchler told Circuit Judge Edward Scott.

She argued that Mongeluzzo raised his voice, snapped his fingers and clapped his hands to intimidate Ramgoolie.

At certain points during the recorded interview, which was played in court Wednesday, Mongeluzzo also threw his notebook against a wall and a doll to the floor.

Mongeluzzo used those items as props to indicate and explain to Ramgoolie what he meant by blunt force trauma.

In the first interview on Jan. 21, Ramgoolie told the detective that the child fell off the bed when they were both sleeping. He described how he fell asleep and then found the child on the floor when he woke up and assumed she had fell and possibly hit her head on a dresser in the room.

After another round of interrogation on Jan. 23, Ramgoolie broke down and told Mongeluzzo that the incident was an accident. He said he was carrying the child to put her in a bassinet and tripped over a table in the living room. The child was forced out of his arms and fell to the ground, he said.

“I fell on the floor and she propelled out of my arms,” Ramgoolie said during the interview.

At the time, Ramgoolie said he was staying with his cousin and babysat the infant while she was out running errands.

But Mongeluzzo didn't find that explanation adequate to explain how the child suffered multiple skull fractures, so he prodded Ramgoolie to explain. He continued to tell Ramgoolie that there must have been some other explanation and offered several other scenarios that could explain what happened.

Kuchler argued that such prodding and suggestions from Mongeluzzo constituted improper coercion.

“It was heated, it was aggressive and it was hostile,” Kuchler said. “It was a very hostile environment because Detective Mongeluzzo was never going to accept that the child fell off of a bed.”

Assistant State Attorney Rock Hooker argued that Mongeluzzo was well within the law and was doing his job by trying to find out the cause of the infant's death.

<p>A judge ruled Wednesday that a man accused of killing his 5 ½-month-old cousin in early 2008 cannot prevent prosecutors from using statements he made during an interrogation by authorities.</p><p>Rishi A. Ramgoolie, 27, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his infant cousin, Sanjana Muthra. He has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.</p><p>An autopsy report indicated that the child eventually died of multiple fractures to her skull as a result of blunt force trauma.</p><p>On Wednesday, Ramgoolie's defense team argued that statements he made during two interrogations with authorities on Jan. 21 and 23, 2008 were coerced and should therefore be suppressed at trial.</p><p>One of his defense attorneys, Donna Kuchler, argued that the Marion County Sheriff's detective interrogating Ramgoolie in both interviews, Michael Mongeluzzo, was at times aggressive and used tactics that coerced Ramgoolie to reveal what happened to cause the infant's death.</p><p>“There was a tremendous amount of aggressive behavior and it was done throughout the interview process,” Kuchler told Circuit Judge Edward Scott.</p><p>She argued that Mongeluzzo raised his voice, snapped his fingers and clapped his hands to intimidate Ramgoolie.</p><p>At certain points during the recorded interview, which was played in court Wednesday, Mongeluzzo also threw his notebook against a wall and a doll to the floor.</p><p>Mongeluzzo used those items as props to indicate and explain to Ramgoolie what he meant by blunt force trauma.</p><p>In the first interview on Jan. 21, Ramgoolie told the detective that the child fell off the bed when they were both sleeping. He described how he fell asleep and then found the child on the floor when he woke up and assumed she had fell and possibly hit her head on a dresser in the room.</p><p>After another round of interrogation on Jan. 23, Ramgoolie broke down and told Mongeluzzo that the incident was an accident. He said he was carrying the child to put her in a bassinet and tripped over a table in the living room. The child was forced out of his arms and fell to the ground, he said.</p><p>“I fell on the floor and she propelled out of my arms,” Ramgoolie said during the interview.</p><p>At the time, Ramgoolie said he was staying with his cousin and babysat the infant while she was out running errands.</p><p>But Mongeluzzo didn't find that explanation adequate to explain how the child suffered multiple skull fractures, so he prodded Ramgoolie to explain. He continued to tell Ramgoolie that there must have been some other explanation and offered several other scenarios that could explain what happened.</p><p>Kuchler argued that such prodding and suggestions from Mongeluzzo constituted improper coercion.</p><p>“It was heated, it was aggressive and it was hostile,” Kuchler said. “It was a very hostile environment because Detective Mongeluzzo was never going to accept that the child fell off of a bed.”</p><p>Assistant State Attorney Rock Hooker argued that Mongeluzzo was well within the law and was doing his job by trying to find out the cause of the infant's death.</p><p>“No coercive police conduct induced the defendant's statement,” Hooker said.</p><p>Hooker also said that it didn't appear as if Ramgoolie was being intimidated by the detective.</p><p>Scott found Ramgoolie to be competent throughout both interrogations and that his Miranda rights were properly administered. The judge said he found no reason why the statements should be suppressed.</p><p>“The defendant has maintained this was an accident. He never confessed to a crime,” Scott said.</p>